India against use of chemical weapons, opens dialogue on eradication of WMD at UNSC

R Ravindra, India's Deputy Permanent Representative-Political Coordinator to the United Nations, said that India is strictly against the use of chemical weapons by anyone, anywhere, anytime under any circumstances. He further said that investigations on the use or possession of chemical weapons must be impartial, credible, objective and follow provisions of the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC). While addressing the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) briefing on Syria, R Ravindra said that the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) is a unique non-discriminatory disarmament instrument and that the convention is a rare chance for the complete eradication of Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD).

TS Tirumurti, India's Permanent Representative to United Nations, said in August that India has been regularly raising concerns against the possibility of terrorist groups acquiring chemical weapons for their local warfare or attacks on another country. While addressing a UNSC briefing on Syria (Chemical Weapons), Tirumurti said, "Since we joined the Council in January this year, India has been repeatedly cautioning against the possibility of terrorist entities and individuals gaining access to chemical weapons."

Chemical Weapons Convention

The Convention was assembled to eliminate an entire category of weapons of mass destruction by putting a ban on the development, production, acquisition, stockpiling, retention, transfer, or use of chemical weapons by States Parties. The Convention will directly with the States Parties, who must take strict actions to enforce that bans of chemical weapons.

All States Parties in the convention has mutually agreed to stop the use and chemically disarm the stockpiles of chemical weapon by destroying their stocks. The states must also take control of any facilities that produced the weapons along with any previously created weapons. They have also agreed to create a verification regime for certain toxic chemicals and their precursors in order to ensure that such chemicals are only used for purposes not prohibited under the Convention. There are many rules like general obligations of all the parties or guidelines for the state parties to destroy the weapons. The convention works closely with the countries. 

(With ANI inputs)